Power hitting combined with calculated batting has made Steve Smith unstoppable

Glenn Maxwell never doubted Steve Smith had power hitting to match his calculated best, and the result has been breathtaking batting.

Steve Smith celebrates after reaching his second 100 in three days at the SCG on Sunday. Picture: David Gray / AFP

Two of Steve Smith’s teammates have the same, ominous word to describe the sort of form the batting genius is in after two 61-ball centuries against India.

Glenn Maxwell and Marnus Labuschagne both shared time at the crease with Smith in the opening two ODIs and said it was “scary” how well the 31-year-old, who was also man of the match twice, was batting.

Smith hit the summer openers after an Indian Premier League he was ”disappointed” with despite scoring 311 runs, with three 50s, for the Rajasthan Royals, the third best output for his team.

But after declaring he had “found his hands” in the days leading up to the opening ODI against India, Smith has been unstoppable.

He has plundered 209 runs off just 130 balls, with 25 fours and six sixes, and, according to protege Labuschagne, hardly been troubled doing it by the much-vaunted Indian attack.

“That was one of the best innings I have seen in one-day cricket, not only from Steve, from anyone,” said Labuschagne, who shared a 136-run partnership with Smith on Sunday.

“The way he batted was superb. It almost felt like he didn’t really given an opportunity. He didn’t take any risks, but he got a hundred off 60-odd balls. That’s scary.

“It was really nice to build that partnership with him, it was nice to keep ticking it over. We were really busy then Steve really took the game on.

“That’s two very big scores in the last two games thanks to Steve.”

Steve Smith plays an unorthodox shot for four against India at the SCG. Picture: Phil Hillyard

The power hitting has been a departure from Smith’s normally calculated way of batting.

He even said he tried too hard to hit the ball in the IPL, which “wasn’t my way of doing things”.

But Maxwell, who has made 108 runs off just 48 balls himself across the two matches, said Smith had managed to blend the two styles in a way no one ever doubted.

“We knew he had it in him. As he said the other day he found his hands, and it’s looking pretty scary for other teams.,” Maxwell said.

“He’s placing the ball as well as anyone around the world, and when he puts the foot down he goes and goes.

“He’s hitting the gaps, it’s not like he’s hitting the ball straight over fielder’s heads. He’s picking his spots, he’s calculated, he just looks like he has so much time at the moment.

“A lot of the time you judge him by how he starts his innings. He’s hitting the middle of the bat straight away.

“He walks across his stumps and works the ball behind square from outside off. He looks to have so much time and looks really calm at the crease at the moment.”

Steve Smith celebrates his century against India at the SCG. Picture: Brett Costello

Originally published as Power hitting combined with calculated batting has made Steve Smith unstoppable